4735 Bethesda Ave., Bethesda, Md. (301) 657-9077 Hours of Operation and Prices Lunch: M-Sat 11-5; Entrees: $9-$13 Dinner: S-Th 5-10, F-Sat 5-11; Entrees: $11-$15 Brunch: Sun 11-3; Entrees: $7-$8 Other Information • Credit Cards: AE, MC, V • Reservations: Recommended • Dress: Casual • Parking: Street • Handicapped accessible

Thyme Square isn't what we used to expect from a meatless restaurant. It's not Earth Shoes and granola. The dining room has a tropical sizzle and a fashionable attitude. The electric buzz from the bar is not a blender but a juicer. You can drink your produce here. There is also a modestly priced, organic wine list, and the beers are interesting.

Yet, where the vegetables work is just where you expect them to work in a meaty mainstream restaurant: at the side of the plate. And Thyme Square does a snazzy Caesar salad, whole leaves of perfectly dressed romaine tumbling out of a Parmesan cornucopia. Otherwise, what this restaurant does best is seafood. An appetizer of Thai mussels is sensational, and if you like coconut, the Brazilian fish stew, with its haunting, spicy, opaque broth of tomato and coconut milk, is hefty with shellfish and fin fish, rice and plantain fries. On the other hand, the Chilean sea bass deserves better than its salty, harsh Hunan barbecue sauce. Bear in mind that the seafood here is top quality, and keep it simple. Watch out for sloppy cooking, particularly in such ethnic dishes as pad thai, quesadillas and pizzas. In the great American tradition, you can dine in low-fat style and then proceed to finish your meal with the richest of desserts. A bowl of Thai mussels, a Caesar salad and a lemon berry pie: That's the menu that would draw me back to Thyme Square.